Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1887-04-23

when a young man walks two miles,
with the mercury below zero, to call
upon pretty girl, it argues that he
is pretty far gone, and farmer Dunlap
ushered this unexpected visitor in,
with asense of grim amusement as he
thought of his coming discontinue.
Hetty received the new conner
with great cordiality, and the two
were chatting very merrily when
Norman and Abbie Chellis came in,
a little later. Norman frowned, rs
he saw the singing teacher so COM
fortably established by Hetty's side,
and for few moments a little stiff
ness settled over the group. There
was.no good feeling between the two
young men. Hetty had gone to the
singing school all winter in company
with Norman and Abbie Chellis, but
Norman had felt obliged to admit
that Hetty seemed to care much
more for Mr.. Thornell's society than
she did for his, during the intermis.
sion and the brief time for chatting be-
fore the opening of the school. Then,
too, Mr.. Thornell led the choir, so
Hetty, who was at the head of the
trebles, stood next to him on Sun
days, often looking over the same
book, while poor Norman, who was
a bass singer, was forced to take q
back seat, literally as well as figura-
lively.
1t had seemed to him lately that
he could never get a chance to see
Hetty by herself, and when this
evening, on which he had counted so
much, he found his rival already in
possession of the field, he felt that it
was very hard.
Farmer Dunlap took possession Of
him at once to talk business and set
tie about the sugar place, very easy
matter, when each man was so desir-
Gus of the same result. In fact, the
difficulty seemed to be that it was
too easy, until Mrs. Dunlap, hearing
her husband say:
"Just let us have what we need
for our own use, and shall be salts
fed" to which young Chellis re-
piled:
"No, no. / just want enough to
make up what / have promised to
deliver in Boston, and you can have
the rest" thought it was time to in
terfere.
" Now, father" she said, that
amt no kind of way to do business.
If Norman wants the sugar place, let
him take it on the same terms any
body else would-half an half. You
to furnish buckets and spouts, and 30
on, and he to furnish labor"
So Mrs. Dunlap having cut the
Gordian knot, the matter was speedi-
ly settled, and Norman was free to
join the group Of young people by
the piano.
For a time they sang glees and
quartettes, their voices harmonizing
sweetly. Then they adjourned to
{ the kitchen, where they popped corn
and froliced until they were tired,
and were glad to come back to the
sitting room and sit down quietly to
eat their apples.
"Name my apples" said Hetty,
suddenly, to Abbie Chellis, who res
ponded promptly:
2" Very well, I'll name it Mr.. Thor.
, nell"
Hetty bent gravely over her plate
to count the seeds, and the singing
8 master drew near to help her. Nor,
man was sure that he slyly abstract
r ed one or two; but Hetty was uncon'
scious of it, if it were so, for a real
blush depened the color on her cheek
as Thornell said triumphantly:
" Eight, they both love-"
"Pm going to take another" sale
Hetty, 3ettishly; name this one
Abbie."
4 NOrman," returned Abbie.
And again Hetty counted the
4 seeds, as if it were a matter of life
3 and death. Norman bent forward t.
: make sure there was no cheating thi'
time. He knew it was nonsense
S mere child's play. and yet he fel
: strangely anxious for the result. Hi
: heart beat furiously, his breath cam,
d quickly, and when Hetty announced
g with a nervous laugh:
n Five, l cast away" he felt unac
n countably depressed.
r 1t was soon nine o'clock. abb
d put on her shawl and nubia, Will
e Norman went out to get his horse
Farmer Dunlap urged Thornell t